FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Jason Gerwig
630-407-6022
April 2, 2009

SCHILLERSTROM VISITS TORONTO TO VIEW BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

DU PAGE COUNTY — DuPage County Board Chairman Robert J. Schillerstrom traveled to Toronto, Canada this past week to view the city’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.  The goal of the trip was to examine what other major metropolitan areas are doing to alleviate traffic and freight congestion. 

“This trip provided an opportunity to look at a system that is helping fight traffic gridlock,” said Schillerstrom. 

The main feature of a BRT system is having dedicated bus lanes which operate separate from all other traffic modes.  This allows buses to operate at a very high level of reliability since only professional motorists are allowed on the bus-way or lane.

“Due to the acquisition of the EJ&E by Canadian National, our communities are seeing an increase in freight traffic that will only add to the congestion in our region,” notes Schillerstrom.   “We must find new and innovate ways to move freight through our communities without negatively impacting their quality of life.   

The DuPage Area Transit Plan, adopted by the County Board and the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference in 2002, explicitly details BRT as a project worth studying.